The Sunday News
Dumisani Sibanda, Sunday News Correspondent
THE Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development is yet to receive the $5 million meant to be loaned to those who were retrenched following the Supreme Court ruling in July last year which led to the dismissal of an estimated 20 000 workers.
During the Government’s celebrations to mark Workers Day on 1 May, the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira, reiterated the Government would provide $5 million to the retrenched workers who were dismissed by companies following the ruling.
She said the facility would be administered through the Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development.
In an interview Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, said the money was not yet ready for disbursement.
“Officials put together the document on the facility but the National Social Security Authority has not released the funds as there are some technicalities that are being worked out with Treasury before we roll it out,” she said.
However, Minister Nyoni said while the facility is being finalised potential beneficiaries should be preparing themselves for its roll out.
“Parallel to the finalisation of the facility should be the training on how to run a business and on business ideas to pursue by the potential beneficiaries,” she said. “You realise that we are talking about retrenched workers but now they will be businesspeople. They should get in touch with my ministry for them to receive training on entrepreneurship and also coming up with viable project proposals.”
Some economists have pointed out lack of business acumen among former workers with most of them opting to go into the public transport sector where there is now overtrading resulting in fierce competition with the possibility of taxi wars.
“The business training that we offer these retrenched workers will address such issues so there is no risk of going into areas where there is overtrading,” said Minister Nyoni.
Some of the retrenches have not yet received the three month notice pay and the two weeks per every year worked payments following the retrenchments.
